TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Trailing No. 3 Alabama by three games in the Southeastern Conference standings, the 11th-ranked LSU softball team travels for a crucial three-game series with the Crimson Tide, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at 5 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
All three games will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network in Baton Rouge on WNXX – The X – 104.5/104.9 FM. The broadcasts can also be heard in the GeauxZone powered by USAgencies on LSUsports.net.
The Tigers enter the series one game shy of 40 wins, standing at 39-6 on the season. With one win, LSU will post its ninth 40-win season in the last 10 years. The Tigers are also 12-3 in the SEC at the mid-way point in the league schedule, with two of their losses coming by a total of two runs.
Alabama is 37-4 on the season and is perfect in league play at 15-0. The Crimson Tide have posted 13 consecutive wins after a 2-0 loss to then No. 10 Arizona at the Kia Classic in Fullerton, Calif. While Alabama has recorded six wins over nationally ranked teams this season, including a three-game sweep of Tennessee, three of the Crimson Tide’s four losses have been to unranked teams.
“We are very excited about playing in a regional-type atmosphere against a tremendous Alabama team this weekend,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “This appears to be the most balanced Crimson Tide team that we have ever seen. We expect nothing but their best shot and are looking forward to a great series.”
LSU and Alabama have been two of the most dominant teams in the SEC since the league’s beginning. The pair are the only two programs with multiple Women’s College World Series appearances. In addition, the champion of the SEC Western Division has been decided by one of these two teams in all season since the conference began playing softball in 1997.
The Tigers have recorded seven of the previous nine divisional championships, while the Crimson Tide have claimed two. In addition, LSU has won the overall SEC Championship on five occasions. The pair have also combined for seven of the nine SEC Tournament titles, with the Tigers claiming four and Alabama winning three.
Junior Leslie Klein leads LSU with a .412 average, including 10 doubles, three triples, five home runs and a team-best 38 RBIs. The center fielder had a 12-game hitting streak snapped last weekend against Auburn, but has hit in 12 of the last 14 contests.
For the season, sophomore Vanessa Soto is also hitting above a .400 clip with a .405 average. The second baseman has recorded a team-best 16 doubles, four shy of the LSU single-season record, with 35 RBIs, including the game-winner over McNeese State on Wednesday, and four home runs.
Six of the Fighting Tigers’ nine starters are hitting over .300 for the season as LSU has recorded a .332 batting average for the season. The purple and gold have pounded out an SEC-best 79 doubles with eight triples and 31 home runs.
In addition, LSU in near the top of the SEC in stolen bases for the season with 76. Sophomore Dee Dee Henderson leads the team with a career-high 22 stolen bases. Klein and senior Camille Harris have each stolen 13 bases. Eight players have stolen at least four bases for the season, while 11 total players have stolen at least one base this year.
Alabama is hitting .313 as a team for the season with five players posting averages over .300, including two over .400. Jordan Praytor leads the Crimson Tide with a .429 average, including seven doubles, two triples and four home runs. Dani Woods leads Alabama with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 34 RBIs. As a team, the Crimson Tide has stolen 83 bases, led by the 22 from Brittany Roger and 16 from Praytor.
In the circle, Emily Turner has emerged as the No. 1 for LSU. The four-time Louisiana Pitcher of the Week boasts a 16-3 overall record with a save and a 0.48 earned run average, second best in the NCAA. In addition, she has posted 11 complete-game shutouts in her 20 appearances, with 130 strikeouts. Only once has she allowed more than two runs in an outing during the season, giving up only eight earned runs all year.
Dani Hofer has been phenomenal in her freshman campaign. The 2005 National High School Player of the Year is 13-3 on the season with a save and a 1.49 ERA, including wins over nationally ranked Washington and Oklahoma. She also leads the team with 133 strikeouts in 20 appearances.
As a team, the Fighting Tigers boast an 0.88 earned run average with 24 shutouts in 45 games. The pitching staff averages almost eight strikeouts per seven innings while allowing opponents to hit just .164 against them.
Stephanie VanBrakle is the ace of the Alabama pitching staff with a 21-2 record and a 0.65 earned run average. In addition, she has recorded seven complete-game shutouts with 235 strikeouts in 141 innings. Chrissy Owens is 13-2 on the season with a team-best 0.53 ERA, including five complete-game shutouts with 126 strikeouts. As a team, Alabama has a 0.79 ERA with 19 shutouts and 393 strikeouts.
Having played the Crimson Tide more than any opponent in school history, the pair have met have the most played rivalry in SEC history. The Tigers hold the 24-18 all-time series advantage against Alabama, including a 9-6 record in Tuscaloosa. LSU dropped all three meetings to the Crimson Tide last season, which snapped a four-game winning streak by the Tigers. However, LSU has recording six-straight games over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, dating back to 2001.
GAME FACTS: No. 11 LSU Tigers (39-6, 12-3 SEC) vs. No. 3 Alabama (37-4, 15-0 SEC)
DATE/TIME: Friday, April 14 – 5 p.m./7 p.m.; Saturday, April 15 – 2 p.m.
RANKINGS:
LSU (#11 NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll, #11 ESPN/USA Softball Poll)
Alabama (#3 NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll, #3 ESPN/USA Softball Poll)
STADIUM: Alabama Softball Complex (1,000)
RADIO: WNXX – The X – 104.5/104.9 FM
TELEVISION: None
INTERNET: Audio broadcast and live stats in the GeauxZone powered by USAgencies at www.LSUsports.net
SERIES RECORD: LSU leads 24-18.